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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · root · staff · plane · press · foot · club · land

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. press — to push
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. staff — employees
  6. club — for dancing
  7. land — ground
  8. rock — music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. club — for golf
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. root — the cause
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. staff — a stick
  18. root — of a word
  19. foot — a measure
  20. club — a group
  21. land — a country
  22. press — newspapers
  23. land — to come down
  24. rock — a stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com